When POW! formed in April, Matt "Handsome" Harrison and Melissa Blue didn't know how to play their instruments. Lead singer and guitarist Byron Blum made things easy for Harrison by putting letter stickers on his keyboards, so he would know what to hit. For Blue, he kept the drumbeats very simple.

Blum says he's happy with the progress his bandmates have achieved, and their first 7-inch EP comes out Oct. 31 on Afterlife Records.

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BB: Listening to Patsy Cline for the first time totally blew my mind. I remember discovering her in my mom's CD collection. I think I was probably 6 or 7, rockin' out to "Back in Baby's Arms."

How would you describe your sound?

BB: Like a bunch of 1950s rebel rousers, bottled up in a rocket ship, that landed at a disco party.

How does living in the Bay Area affect your music?

BB: To me, this is the best place to be right now. We have some of the most prolific artists in the United States living here. Everyone are friends; we help each other. It's inspiring to hear your buddies' new recordings and be blown away. Naturally it's more fuel for the fire.

What's the most important aspect to putting on a live show?

BB: Staying ahead of the audience. Doing something they didn't expect. Like hitting a note a certain way. I think that is really important. Also, adversely, not trying to make a connection. I think a connection happens when you aren't predictable.

How did the band come together?

BB: I recognized Melissa from that Pow Festival when getting off a bus somewhere in San Francisco. Later that night, I ran into her at a bar in the Tenderloin. We exchanged numbers and planned on meeting up sometime to jam. Matt "Handsome" Harrison sells his records on consignment in the store I work at, and it's amazing how passionate he is about music.

To be featured in Bay Area Bandwidth, you must have a confirmed gig coming up and a recording that readers can buy, download or listen to via a Web link. Then e-mail us at bandwidth@sfchronicle.com with: band or artist name, gig info, website and/or MySpace link, a one-paragraph bio that includes your lineup, city location, description of your sound and a link to your two best songs. Do not e-mail music files or other attachments.